8/24-29 Mother daughter trip final day :( when are we going back??

[soxnation]

Here goes a trip report! 6 days of interesting mishaps on a mother daughter adventure

August 24-29th at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Cast
Me- 23 year old lover of Disney. Last trip was 5 years ago, love to travel and experience different things. Planner of everything down to what time we get up, they let me so I did it. Stressed to the max planning this trip, everything had to go well and by the end I had given up and just started to frequent the pool bar.

Mom- Easy going this trip was for her girls and she just wanted us to have a good time. Has a great time with her daughters loves “stepping out of the box” do not do something stupid in front of her she will point it out.

Sis- 21 just turned 21 and wanted to drink around the world. Decided it was ok for her to talk to bf the entire trip, hates it’s a small world loves tower of terror. College track star so she was the designated fastpass runner, very good to have one!

Day One-
Early flight because I have to maximize bonding time and magical time on this vacation not an ounce is to be wasted…haha like that is ever going to be the case. So off to the air port at 5am Sis’s BF was watching the dog and being our transportation for the week. The dog well he is 13 years old and is a baby killed us to leave him but this vacation was for us and no one not even our precious pup was going to hold us back! Ok so heading for the airport coffee is needed and well we have been dieting since February and I do not think I had had a doughnut in over a year so that is breakfast, kick off the vacation calories. We were worried about the caloric intake in Disney we are trying to live new lives that includes being healthy and being on major exercise plans. But it is vacation and so help me if anyone makes a comment about what I am eating, if they do they will have to carry the backpack for the rest of the week!
Oh no traffic on the way to Boston time to chug the coffee before we get into the airport, I will regret that with heart burn later. Well I am a over planner and am very focused on the task at hand, mom and sis are in vacation brain mode that operates at half the speed normally!! Great!
Ok check in and of course some one is over weight on their suit case not me I took the smallest and probably packed the lightest. Mom she has the kitchen sink in her suit case snacks powered Gatorade water bottles and anything that would not fit in my suit case. First money of the vacation spent on the little red tag that says mom is 8lbs over weight nice. Ok, to security not too much of a line but the business people that surround us look like they are going to kill the 3 women in their vacation gear, crocs included if they take too long going through security. We have bracelets that you have to unscrew so they do not set off the alarms, and they do set them off every time if they are not unscrewed if any one knows why Cape Cod bracelets do this we would like to know. Anyways I am hauling my bag trying to remind mom and sis to unscrew remind mom to take off her shoes get the bags though the check point and gather us all up. God bless anyone doing this with small children it was hard enough with a 21 and 51 year old!! And now the lines for coffee are miles long and we wait for our flight. Not bad timing every one is organized and we are ready to go. Nice plane old song one with TV’s. We get flying and it was a bumpy ride, I have been on worse but the pilot announced that everyone was to be seated so those who had a parching thirst from chugging hot coffee for the 2nd time that morning were left without beverages until finally they came though the isles and threw you a tiny bottle of water and a granola bar. Lovely by the time we land that granola bar was like throwing a pebble in the ocean of my stomach. Oh well at least we could watch the Today show. To anyone on that flight we apologies for my mother who acted like the world was collapsing every time her music was stopped for the announcements to come on it was quite amusing!
We land I have not relaxed yet that is impossible what is also impossible is the secret treasure map that should be given out to find magical express. Yes it is easy to get to but you are off a flight in a heard of people a few signs would be nice we saw people asking for directions at every turning point. We find the ME area not so magical and we wait in line where we are informed only one person can stand in line the others can go “relax” yes relax in the 6 chairs down there for about 100 people. In the time it took me to get though that line mom and sis could have collected out luggage because we then waited about 15/20 mins for a bus to the magic kingdom area resorts.
I am getting anxious waiting for the bus will everything be all set will be get to the Grand Floridian and they banish us to the basement, will our requests be met, possibly an upgrade?? That and I get car sick so it was not a nice bus ride but it was the moment of the trip when the little boy sitting next to us announces that this bus ride is not very magical because there are TV’s with nothing on them it was priceless because he was asleep 5mins later.

Arrival at the resort, the sky has turned a lovely shade of gray by now afternoon showers are on their way. We are greeted and shown to the front desk to check in. Well of course our requests are not noted they had a room for us a dormer room but it was smoking and the smell we just could not take for a week so they will get us a non smoking room but apparently it will take an act of congress to do so. First time of the vacation mom lets the pit-bull inside her out when it took close to 4 hours for them to get us a cleaned room. Every time we went to the desk we were told 20mins go enjoy the parks they would call our cell. Well it was pouring and we were not going to head to the soaked parks without knowing we had a place to come back to. Again promised in 20mins and again until we believe the desk manager would just hide when he saw mom heading to the desk. Ok room ready now not original number next over ok 7122 Conch Key first floor nice location quiet end of the building view of shrubs narccoossee’s and some of the lagoon and steps from the boat dock. Ok nice room finally no upgrade that’s fine did not expect it but when we mentioned sis’s birthday would have liked some response but it appears all notes on our reservation were missing or looked over. Ok nothing witty about that afternoon I basically stressed so much I am surprised I did not pass out. To which I heard the word relax a million times from mom and sis. We were off to Raglan Road for dinner so the prospect of shopping at Downtown Disney and some beer were getting me through the afternoon. It was still raining lovely I was not turning myself into an oven in those ponchos I would rather be wet. Dinner was great save that stuff for the Dining Review bords.
The problem with our first night was the heart palpitations I got when I saw the mass of humanity at Downtown Disney. I thought that is it they give away free dining and the herds of people come on down. I mean you could not comfortably walk without having to keep dodging people losing your family and being given Ackley tendon checks by every stroller in the place. We attempted the world of Disney and I was watching mom and sis like they were 5 year old children I was afraid to lose. We did have some fun in the store sis being 21 needed a Tinkerbelle wand and the 20min wait in line to check out followed. There were just people everywhere in every store. And then there are those people who do not believe in personal space and believe it is perfectly fine at 9pm when it is still 85 degrees out to invade that personal space. To be fair I think it is an American thing to have 2 feet of personal space but it does not matter if your kid is swapping sweat with me just to look at a magnet you are freaking me out so just step back the tacky magnet will still be there in 2 seconds when I step away from you! It was so crowded and hot that night that I never got to enjoy my cigar from the cigar shop in February it was lovely to have in august I would have annoyed myself.
Finally we hike back to the market place to catch the bus because I made us walk to burn of the Guinness. Wait a few for a bus and we prepare to board, we are hot, wet, tired and just want to sit on the nice cool bus. There we are first inline to get on the bus, it comes the doors open I pause for the appropriate time to allow others to exit and I make my move only to have it stopped by the doors of the bus swallowing my leg and arm!! Ok they close hard people and I could not free myself. There I am left leg right arm in the door of the bus. People are staring I hear my mom on the phone with my aunt say “got to go she has her leg stuck in a bus door!” nice hu? Well in what feels like 20mins the doors are open again and I stand in embarrassment being asked if I need medical attention. I don’t know can they fix a bruised ego at this clinic you speak of? Apparently the bus driver in training turned the bus off as I was entering causing the doors to make friends with my limbs. Where was the guy training him?? Chatting with another bus driver hope it was a chat was good and was worthy of a heap of embarrassment and a nice bruise!!!
I now have to sit on a bus with these people going to the Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Floridian who just saw me get my leg eaten by a door. The worst thing we were the only ones going to the Grand Floridian so the bus empties and the driver must think great door girl is still here and continues to ask if I need medical attention no you need a head examination for closing the door on me! Wishes had just started as the bus pulled up we watched from the marina music was hard to hear because all the good spots were taken but it is a lovely place to sit with a drink and snack and watch the castle turn colors and see the fireworks!
So I sulk off to our room (turn down service is lovely nice to come back to something cozy and welcoming) hopping for a better second day in the world, and no more injuries to be heard of fingers crossed.
Day Two- Animal Kingdom (I think the animals are more amused with us)

 

[soxnation]

Day Two-
We get up early today because we are used to it, but those beds were comfortable let me tell you! We drag sis out of bed with the promise of riding Everest today. I never intended to get us there for the opening of the park I figured by the time we got ready and grabbed bagels we would make it there by 930/10. Well we at the bagels on the bus so we found ourselves getting to the bridge to the oasis right at the opening. Oh no here we are the running of the vacationers the pushing ok we are all going to the same place being Everest and you and your baby carriage can wait behind me just like everyone else. We are standing there and I am thinking well maybe one of us should go ahead for fast passes hmm like all these fathers who look like they are set at the starting like holding park tickets like relay batons. HA to you we have a secret weapon a nationally ranked member of a 4x400 team. Ok I suddenly turned into one of those park commando people which I secretly am just not when it is 90+ our. We are off yeah what ever you said in African right back at ya we are off for the yeti!! I am now yelling at sis not to follow half the mass of people heading through dino land and go through Asia to Everest which was a great idea and tip because when we go to Everest that is where the line was forming. Mom looks like I just dragged her though the streets, yet looks slightly amused at the fact we just looked like crazy people yelling directions to sis and commenting on putting the strap on your crocs to run better! Well we were in line and sis was getting fastpasses for later. Where is she ….ummm other people are returning to their party in line…sis I call her phone “some ….. broke the fastpass thingy they are putting new paper in what…..does not fill the paper before all of this madness?” ok we will wait so there we were in line letting everyone pass we are waiting for the girl with the pink ribbon to make fastpass magic just head on in front of us. Ok get sis in line with passes for an hour later good plan. We wait maybe 10mins and are off to see the Yeti. Great ride the reverse setting cracked mom’s neck we had a good laugh about that. We headed off and walked on Dinosaur had a 5min wait for the safari got a snack and headed back to be mauled by the Yeti again. Then with the rain beginning we hit the rapids we were going to get wet anyways! I thought I remembered it being longer? I find myself getting IOA rides confused being that I have been there 3 of the past 4 years.
Off to the bus no limbs were injured in this trip and back for a shower and a nap. Well on that bus ride the skies opened up in full glory as in scared to be on this bus when I can not see 2ft in front of us. Plus of staying at Wilderness lodge it is all covered to get to your room Grand Floridian lovely resort but me and the ducks did not have a good time running through ankle deep water to get back to our room. I have photos of this rain it was ankle deep and I stopped half way there to have a puddle jumping moment I was wearing crocs after all. A much needed nap and shower before dinner at Kona Café in the Polynesian great dinner nice atmosphere. We had our fruity drinks and we were the ones laughing hysterically in the bathroom probably frightening children. Mom still had 2 drink umbrellas in her hair and we were enjoying the moment.

Off to MGM for the night by the time we got there people were lining up for fantazmic and not standing in lines woohoo. Tower of Terror and Rock’n Rollercoaster was all we did that night while fantazmic was taking place we took advantage of empty streets and took pictures and shopped. Then it was head to the busses before all of humanity leaves that theater! Nice cool bus heading to the Contemporary and Polynesian before the Grand Floridian. For the fact that transportation at this time was so lumped up we will probably stay at the WL next time if I have any say. To the father making his teenage daughter cry on the bus thanks for the entertainment and lesson on how not to be a parent everyone appreciated that lovely moment being apart of their vacation!
We made it back to watch Wishes from the marina again this time we were early and got good spots with drinks and ready to hit the pool we watched the magic and hit the pool. After a long day there should be ice in that pool it was a little warm but a plunge in the hot tub did tires muscles a world of good. Then it was goodnight world we were off to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot tomorrow.

 

[soxnation]

working on day 3 hope people are enjoying

 

[fizz13]

A good read, keep it coming

 

[pumba]

thanks so much for your report........You sounded a wee bit like my hubby.....shouting out the instructions on who what and where to go....How was Raglan Road for dinner.......?
Thanks again

 

[soxnation]

thanks so much for your report........You sounded a wee bit like my hubby.....shouting out the instructions on who what and where to go....How was Raglan Road for dinner.......?
Thanks again

the Dis made me that way hahahaha

Loved Raglan Road liked the atmosphere, food was different and enjoyable. Try the Beer samplers to try all the different stlyes they have. There are alot of photos and trinkets on the walls from famous Irish people. We were the ones taking pictures of Bono I did a full review on the Restaurant board there is a link in my signature

Glad people are reading i am putting all our memories to words so i can put them in our scrapbook

 

[soxnation]

Day Three-
We find ourselves falling into vacation abyss and sleeping later and later every morning. Today we decided to hit the magic kingdom first thing because we had been across the lagoon for 2 days now hearing the whistle of the train and we had not had our moment on Main Street yet! Ok ladies if I get the coffee you have to promise to get moving. Off to get coffee I return to sleepy heads, umm hello we are going to the Magic Kingdom people put on happy faces. With a bit of coffee they were brought to life. We grabbed some breakfast at Gasparilla g&g and headed for the monorail. I should mention that today I was first up and dressed yet when mom and sis saw I was wearing blue it was a game that before I knew it we were on the monorail and realizing they had put on blue too just to annoy me. So at the MK we make our way though and it is like nothing has changed always as I had remembered it as a kid. O0o0o photopass people let capture this very blue hued moment so our friends can ask why we all wore the same color!! (The photopass photo came in the mail yesterday and yes people ask why we are wearing the same color)

We hit MK at 9:15 note to all this is when the main street dingers and dancers come out with their trolley and horses. Sis was trying to be photographic when she was almost road kill on Main Street from a run in with the trolley! Between the buses and now horses they are going to ban us from all forms of transportation.
Off we went to Space Mountain, wait time was only the time it took us to drag ourselves up the queue. Why do I feel the need to duck when riding Space Mountain? Every time I think I am going to lose my head! After Space Mountain we headed for the tea cups because we were wandering and doing nothing in order. After a spinning good time we were welcomed by a new friend that 10:30 Florida heat. Oh well we go on ride some more Mickey’s Philharmagic was great what was better was the air conditioning! We knew we were headed back to MK the next night and we planned a full afternoon/night in EPCOT so we called it quits early. Back at the resort for a nap shower and the eventual afternoon down poor. We usually timed our rest time with the rain but not today. The only decent time I could get at Le Cellier was for lunch and at 2:40. The rain was not letting up so we gave in an donned the oven like rain ponchos yippy!
Between the rain and the painfully long time it took to get from the Grand Floridian to EPCOT we were running late. It was possibly the rain and the heat getting to the three of us but the fighting began. Yip yip yip yip, that’s all we did. If you were in EPCOT that day we were the ones yelling about directions “ sis no listen to me we want to walk to the right, yes right not all the way around, PUT YOUR SELF IN THE MAP!!! I am walking right see you in an hour if you go left” yeah we were yippy. We made it to Canada just in time for our ADR time. There was a bit of a wait when we arrived but hey we were planning a long afternoon in EPCOT and some drinking around the world we can sit for a moment after debating about getting “in” the map. While we were waiting to be seated the wait staff commented when asked why a party was waiting over 20mins when they had reservations, the response was...”Because with out one you could only dream of eating here, we are booked solid through October!” ok no one is that good. We tried different things and well were underwhelmed and did not think it was worth all the trouble of getting an ADR there, I wrote a review on the restaurant page.
After eating we took on EPCOT hitting future world and the world showcase. It was raining quite a bit so travels were not very efficient. We made out way around the world too full to drink so we shopped. What? Perfume reps in stores lets go see what is going on, well I left the UK with a quite lighter pocket. Outside on the street there were performers doing The Holy Grail. Cute audience participation sis got picked to be the old hag which made it that much more funny. Was I crying from laughing?? No I am sweating my Canadian beer out. Does it seem hotter in some areas than others? We found a hot spot in the UK that’s for sure. We laugh a bit and make our way over to France. Here is my recommendation if you cook go to the store in France that sells all the kitchen things, they sell herbs de provence which is fantastic to cook with pick some up so when you run out you have an excuse to go back to EPCOT.
We used the perk of having our purchases sent back to the resort a lot today. Interesting the next day when you see the pile of purchases.
Our next mission was in Japan to pick pearls. I though this would be nice for the 3 of us to do because it was something special and memorable. After Japan there was more wondering in Future world then back to the showcase more wandering. By now it was about 8pm with illuminations set to start at 9 it was still raining and we were getting tired and hungry. We found a perfect spot for illuminations there was a bench in front of Norway that gave perfect views. So there we sat waiting in our ponchos eating food from the san angel cantina and drinking margaritas. Word to the wise do not stand in front of people 5mins before the show starts who have been there for an hour, my mother will yell at you and the 15 people you brought over with you. Illuminations was great a bit Smokey but beautiful still. We become part of the running of the tourists to the exit then to the extraordinarily long trip back to the grand Floridian, the monorail shuffle makes buses look fantastic. Back to the resort to lovely turndown service and a good sleep ( from all the margaritas  )

A note: when you are planning on making a scrapbook of your trip does anyone else realize the amount of random things they collect along the way?? I am sitting down to start the scrapbook now and I even saved the chop sticks from Kona as well as the Drink Umbrellas from Kona that caused us so much amusement. But my sister did save the fancy wrap from the TP in the room!! Just a moment of consciousness.

 

[bbump]

Enjoying your report and style of writing!
(We were there 8/27 to 9/1) so arround the same time as you.
Sounds like you had lots of fun...looking forward to reading more.

 

[soxnation]

day four in the works should have it up today working on more photos!
Thanks for reading!

 

[soxnation]

Day Four-
Again a no plans day, well only kind of no plan day. There were evening extra magic hours at the magic kingdom tonight and I figured we would give it a try. So it was up and early to the grill for breakfast again we they headed back to EPCOT to make our way through Future World. Transportation again took ages to get from the grand Floridian to EPCOT I do not know why. Goal of the morning was future world so we headed for The Land for Sorin fastpasses. This is interesting because you have to make it to the land make it in the door down the stairs in and around people into the Sorin area again dodging people to find the fastpass location, and the escalator was broken. I left The Land looking like I had run 26 miles! I would take the run to Everest any day over the commando style moves needed to get to Sorin. Anyways after a drink and a moment to gather myself we were off hit test track with a bit of a wait but not too bad and we were out of the sun which was becoming hot as magma quite early this Sunday morning. We got FP for test track that gave us bonus Mission Space passes woohoooo we did the mild ride this time it was fun because it was only the 3 of us in the ride and we were yelling at mom that she was going to navigate us into a wall. Time for Sorin off we go to trek to The Land. Sorin is fantastic!! It was a great ride even with the feet in our view. The hot magma sun had done a number on us that morning and we debated going for another spin on Test Track., but I lost and we decided to head back to the pool before the storms rolled in. Magical moment in the trip was when we decided to pixie dust some unsuspecting vacationers with our go ride Test Track now FP. Mom insisted on picking who we gave them to they had to look nice and be a party of 3. Just as we were about to give up (there were no parties of 3 around) I spotted a party of three 2 adults and a little girl who were trying to save their brains from the magma sun with ice cream. The best things are when you can make some one else’s day. So I just slid up to their table put the fastpasses down and said it is time for you to go ride Test Track!! And like a phantom slipped away when they realized what they were I hear the man yell “god bless you “made my day to know I had made a memory for someone. Anyways pixie dust tears wiped away we were heading for some lunch and a dip in the pool. Just as we were settling down at the Quiet pool at the Grand Floridian (the beach pool was way too crowded too many small children) the black clouds rolled in. We held out as long as they would let is swim in the rain then it was nap time because I planned on making it a long night being the one standing in front of the castle at 2am proclaiming on my phone to sleepy friends at home where I was at 2am. Sometimes my madness just needs to be humored you are either laughing with me or at me and you will have more fun laughing with me!!
I should note that this afternoon is when we finally found the weather channel on the TV and were being filled in on the tropical storm approaching Florida, it was looking good for us but who knows.
Napping was getting boring so we decided to make a trip to Downtown Disney for some more shopping before we went to the MK. The constant search for a shirt sis wanted that we could not find. We picked out new ornament for the Christmas tree and ended up coming home with 3. Grabbed a chocolate coffee treat from the coffee shop that was lovely on a hot August evening. We hit the stores again in the marketplace and decided to stop back at the resort before going to MK. We are across the lagoon I am not carrying all of this through the park!
Evening Extra Magic hours were the plan for the evening at the Magic Kingdom. We decided that we would use counter service credits for dinner tonight before the fireworks. Yummy Cosmic Ray’s dinner great view of the fireworks and a chat with some people who had just gotten into the world. We were looking around for people wearing blue bracelets and it did not appear that there were too many so we figured these extra hours were promising. After the fireworks we started to wander, it’s a small world, pirates of the Caribbean, splash mountain, Space Mountain. Just as we were heading for big thunder mountain they closed the ride. The cast members told us that it should only be a short time so we decided on some treats from Main Street. It is at 10:30pm that you realize it is a bit of a hike back and forth from Frontier land to Main Street. Treats and more shopping then back to Frontier land, good thing I had some sugar because I was getting sick of that hike. Still no BTM great all that way for it to be closed for the rest of the night. So back on splash mountain suggestions when there is no wait is there a way to make the queue shorter and smell less like old wet socks? Just a suggestion. By now there were lines everywhere it seemed that at 11pm there were more people there than at 10:30pm. We trudged on for another hour and decided that EMH was making more lines that there were on a Saturday morning. But that was to be expected so we just called it a night and headed back to the cozy beds at the Grand Floridian.
All in all not a super exciting day the heat go to us early and the weather soaked a pool afternoon. We made someone’s day and too many people ruined our evening. There were more people standing in front of us just as the fireworks started, no I was not sitting here for a half hour after my dinner so you could have a lovely view grrrr. We learned that EMH are not all they are cracked up to be and that too many trips back and forth through the park make cranky tourists!!
Up next day five Dinner at Narccoossee’s and the results of being in a park with thousands of people and their germs!

 

[Bev J]

Really enjoying your report! I will be checking back for more..

Bev

 

[soxnation]

Our Room at the Grand Floridian, Turndown Service there were chocolates there every night but it looks like we already ate them!

Our building at the Grand Floridian

Grand Floridian Pool

Rainbow at EPCOT

Sis's acting in EPCOT

A rainy day at EPCOT mom and sis in their poncho finest!

Sis's birthday treat from the Kona Cafe

Let the rain come down at the Grand Floridian on a very rainy afternoon

towel animals left by mousekeeping at the Grand Floridian

 

[tinkerbell87512]

Im loving the report!!! sounds like you had an awesome time!

 

[soxnation]

Day Five-

Up early this morning people we have things to do we leave tomorrow! We decide on a MGM morning because sis just can not get enough of tower of terror. Usual morning routine but we are realizing our time is winding down and all I want to do is try to slow it all down to make sure I take it all in. Mom sis and me in Disney represented an awful lot of things that had happened to us in the past year going home tomorrow meant facing a whole list of we will deal with it when we get back. It was hard to start out the day knowing soon we would be back to reality where things are not so magical in our lives why we are a party of 3 now and not 4.
Anyways there was still fun to be had so off to MGM we head down to Muppets 3d because I am a sap and still love seeing this then back lot tour neat to see the behind the scenes look at the motor show try to time your back lot tour with the start of a motor show you can see the stunt men getting ready and practicing in the back area. Same old experience they could at least update the beginning with a new movie or something. We then wandered around MGM with practically no lines for anything this was a Monday morning and there was possibly extra morning hours somewhere I can not find my notes to confirm that. It again was hot that morning as in lots of PowerAde and an instantly melting Mickey bar! Take on the chocolate first people in August ice cream makes a better stain than chocolate! Trust us we know. As I said no lines for anything we did ToT and RR about 4 times walking right on. We randomly found soccer Mickey with no line either! Now that I remember there was a wiggles doodle something circus sing loud and dance badly party going on so that may have been the reason there were no lines on the big rides. So after some more PowerAde and Mickey bars we headed out of course we shopped first.
We had reservations at Narccoossees at the Grand Floridian tonight first seating. The skies were looking clear so we planned to hit the pool. Nice relaxing afternoon at the resort because for our 5:30 reservation we had to leave at 5:29 our room was steps away from Narccoossees it was our view in the morning.
Alright ladies relax have a drink sit at the pool have our flesh melt of in the magma sun. Fantastic I might no be the color of computer paper when we return. Then something happened the karma gods who blessed us with a perfect trip (aside from all the fighting and the ankle deep down pours) decided life was too go to be true and we watched sis turn from a sunbathing goddess to a green hued unhappy camper. What do you mean you do not feel good, sis 54 dollar LOBSTAHHHHHHH (we are from massachusetts i had to add effect) is steps from this room and you are turning it down!! Ok there is something seriously wrong with her if she refuses that. Ok she thinks it is just from eating too much all week and not a big deal she will come to dinner and just get a salad. Woohoo 2 more credits for breakfast in the morning. Was it wrong to be thinking of credit use instead of the welfare of my sister?? Oh well I think I smell my lobster being cooked.
We get all cute for dinner because I was told it was business casual and we are on vacation and I want to wear something that was not chosen for its sweat absorbency for once on this trip!!!! We walk over to the restaurant they let us in and we immediately go outside to take pictures I did not even remember to check in first oops oh well the clouds were rolling in and I wanted a nice picture on the deck sue me! Well the other “delightful” people waiting to be seated did not get the business casual memo so we looked like idiots dressed up stare if you must but I have about 30 minutes in this humidity until my hair follows its own rules so I am going to look nice!! Cocktail time! Sis looks ok just like she has had too much steak all week. Great bread here needed it to sop up the blue Floridians I was enjoying. Now we usually do not drink like this but it seemed that today all that was done was drink oh well it is vacation! Dinner was good I have had better lobster out of a paper plate in Hampton beach but it was the experience I guess. They were giving complementary tarts to people who were guests of the resort but I guess when I mentioned to our server that our room was around the corner she thought we were sleeping on the lawn. And the nice moment is done and now I put on clothes for their sweat absorbency!
Off to the Magic Kingdom for the night sis looks ok still wants to shop good sign we ride the rides we watch spectromagic we have some snacks we buy more things as usual, umm ladies how are we going to get home beer glasses? And everything else we have purchased? There were not many people in the kingdom tonight we did have to try to outrun the parade to frontier land to ride big thunder mountain then watch the parade come through there. They do keep good control over those parade crowds. There are openings for people who do not want to watch to actually get to other areas of the park. However there are always amusing moments when cast members have to direct people traffic. In front of the castle is packed we spot an opening to get to our destination we are walking though the crowd through the clearly roped off walkway when I am dinged in the shin by a wheelchair. Yup it is crowded that’s ok uhh I am trying to get through, excuse me we were walking here. Yeah well now this is my spot the cast member is trying politely to explain that there is a wheelchair viewing area that she will escort her to that currently she is in a walk way blocking the flow. Nope she was not moving throwing a fit and blocking everyone now trying to walk away from main street. I finally squeezed mom and sis though the fighting and left the rest of that action to be someone else’s vacation tale.
We decide to hit the boat before the fireworks start to have a good nights sleep. Emotional moment warning….we hit the boat just as the fireworks start now that was the slowest moving boat in the state at that moment our lovely captain could have let us swim faster than that boat we all sat and watched the fireworks from our free cruise. We got to the boat dock just as the fireworks were finishing we complete the moment I am all absorbed with the fireworks my mom my sister the evening the resort and sis yells at me for something I do not even remember what yip yip yip. I was off to check in at the front desk to see if we could have late check out tomorrow, lovely we can our flight was for 9pm so a few hours in the room was a good idea. Ok people go to sleep it is going to be a long day tomorrow traditional 4 parks major attraction madness this time in 100 degree weather!!

Coming up the conclusion of our mother daughter adventure, the hunt for an elusive shirt and why we may just never be allowed back to the Grand Floridian in my sisters lifetime!

 

[soxnation]

working on Day 6 for all intersted should have it up tonight

 

[tinkerbell87512]

yay cant wait to read the ending!!!

 

[soxnation]

Day Six-
Unfortunately our departure day had arrived. We has so enjoyed our time together and going home was depressing couldn’t we just stay here forever and never have to deal with anything that is not magical? No deal back to Mass tonight. We woke this morning with plans to have breakfast at the grand Floridian café swim a bit and pack up and hit the parks after lunch. We got a late check out for 1pm luckily the night before. Rise and shine time for breakfast and parks till you drop get every last ounce of magic moments out of this trip as possible!!!
I am up and organizing the packing situation less time packing today is more park time! Mom is up and like a trained Disney traveler she was getting ready for the long day ahead. Problem! Sis will not get up. It seems that the not feeling too hot the night before has turned into a miserable situation this morning. Ok sis needs some sleep so mom and I head off to breakfast good for us we only had 2 credits left. Breakfast was relaxing and the leaving Disney depression sets in.
After a stop for some pepto for sis we head back to the room and she is still in bed claiming to feel horrible we realize well she was the only one to have salad last night and this set in about 4 hours after dinner last night we might be dealing with food poisoning! We agree that mom and I would head to downtown Disney to pick her up the sweatshirt she wanted and some other things and sis would sleep a few more minutes then get up pack and change. We were in downtown Disney for almost 2 and a ½ hours that morning between shopping and horribly long bus rides!! We waited almost 30 minutes for a bus after watching 2 come and go at the same time as we tried to run to the bus stop, being for the grand Floridian you would think that possibly this resort would be assigned stop #1 not almost at the other end of the pick up. Finally after getting a bus which we almost just took the poly bus to get back quicker it was 12:15 and we had to be out at 1pm. Quick call to sis on the bus to find that she is still in bed and not even one item of hers is in her suitcase. Fantastic the drama level has been cranked to 11! Our flight does not leave until 9pm and I spent hours upon hours to get a late flight even taking 2 different carriers down and back in order to get ourselves an extra day in the parks we already lost an afternoon in the parks when it was pouring the day we arrived and now I was looking at dealing with a sick sister on the day when we were suppose to do everything they promised we would go back to. Frustration was at an all time high and I will admit I treated sis a bit poorly because of this. We were looking at a quite ill sis who could not keep anything down being dragged out to the parks at 1pm in the heat. Mom being the nurse knew that this would not do and set out to the front desk to see what could be done because as it stood even if it took paying for an extra night sis needed a bed. This is all fantastic if we had to pay for an extra night I would just change the flight to tomorrow night and our last day would be saved………oh yeah hurricane coming our way be depressed in Massachusetts tomorrow or soaked in Florida?
Mom returns and given the option of a sick girl lying in their lobby or letting us have the room for the afternoon they choose the room! Fantastic lets leave sis here to sleep and be ill and we will hit the parks! Anyone, hello…..eghhh mom insists that she must stay with sis, great what am I going to do? This was our big us against the world, starting over, in charge of our own happiness, only happy thing to happen all summer vacation and I was looking at doing things by myself I just couldn’t do it, I couldn’t go out to the parks alone it did not seem right. Well it was not raining this afternoon I will go to the pool at least get a tan. What resulted was an expensive cocktail and burnt flesh in the matter of 15 minutes. Well that kept me occupied for a short time. Maybe I will go to the Polynesian for a cocktail I hop on the boat and head on over, cocktail in hand I walked the resort and decided that after 2 cocktails the boat back was not going to be a good idea. Hmmm it is about 100 degrees in the shade and I decide it is a good idea to walk back to the grand Floridian. I nearly pass out in front of the wedding pavilion and make my way to the resort looking more sweaty that is normally seen! Well that only killed another hour. Our magical express bus pick up was at 5:55pm and I was running out of things to amuse me on a hot afternoon. I head off for lunch/dinner selections at the gasparilla grill and games for mom and me. I loaded up on remaining credits and back to the room. We eat and eventually the afternoon slips away and I find myself sitting on the patio watching our vacation fade away.
We call for a bellhop to take us to the lobby in the pouring rain. Could that make for a more depressing ending to our special vacation? Sick sis, park adventures left undone, pouring rain, and going home! We hit the lobby and discover that there need to be more bathrooms there between all the children being changed for the dinner there and all the people just visiting the resort it was a difficult situation. Sis was now a lovely shade of gray with a new sweatshirt on over her head slumped on a couch in the grand Floridian lobby. Our goal was to just get her on the bus and through security at the airport she could again rest at the airport.
We are out side waiting for the magical express bus that does not want to arrive on time when the most magical moment happened well not magical but at least it was memorable…..to those at the grand Floridian on august 29th around 6pm we apologize for the event that occurred. Sis was looking more and more gray and decided that she needed to be sick but before she could make it in too many people were blocking the path to the bathroom with their princesses so sis had her moment in the flower beds at the grand entrance to the grand Floridian! Right there next to Richard the lovely greeter. With a magical express bus not on the way we had to beg a driver to take us back even though he was done for the night. We get to the air port tell sis not to look sick going through security who knows they could have thought she caught bird flu from Donald!!! We get her through and to our gate well we had to fly southwest to get this late flight tonight and the price was right. Then our flight was delayed about an hour supper! They then changed our gate with for anyone who has traveled southwest knows your spot in line is golden so when the gate is changed it was like someone screamed fire in a movie theater. A riot ensues it was a lovely show of human nature. People if you are not 3rd in line in B they do not make you sit in the bathroom for the ride!! Calm down and chill out we are all heading to Manchester and no one is going to be down graded to the cargo hold! Luckily we were able to get a special pre boarding pass to get sis on the plane because with drama level at 11 she operates like a wet noodle. I was left to the masses in line when I had the joy of being next to a woman who after my sister got on the airplane before her had a 10 minute rant that “there was nothing wrong with her she should get on first she had a baby and a stroller who said she could go ahead of us we have babies with is who need extra care this is not fair I am writing a letter” in a moment of irritation I lean towards the woman and say she is free to get on with “that girl” as long as she was ok with her child getting some nasty stomach virus because she is not feeling well and is on first to settle in an not infect everyone!! Now we knew it was something in the line of food poising from narccoossees the night before because mom and I were not sick and even when we got home we never got sick but it was great to put a wining woman in her place. The flight was filled with sis saying she was going to be sick they trying to be comfortable in every position and about 5 screaming babies. It was about 1030 by the time we were in the air and most of these kids had no idea what was going on. I think the incoming tropical storm / hurricane had a lot of people changing their plans and leaving Tuesday night.
We arrive in Manchester without any fuss and our suitcases were the first out. It is back to reality back to life and back to dreaming of going on vacation again. There really is a vacation withdrawal especially when this was such a special trip for the 3 of us. Our return represented sis starting sr. year in college me making decisions about graduate school and mom looking at a divorce. It has been about 20 days since we got back and I am still sad about it being over. I worked so hard to make it perfect for mom and sis and it was not the best experience. But I realize I can not be the perfect trip planner things are out of my hands and it did not matter what time we did anything were we are how much it cost what mattered was that we were together and it was special.
We are already talking about when we can go back mom even wants to go for a 2 night trip to see the Christmas decorations and because Christmas is going to be a hard time.
Who knows when we will make it back but I think it will be in 2007 I do not think we will make it for the holidays because hello people I am still paying for the last one! We will go again and we will do it all and we will not go when the sun is like hot magma! We will do the dining plan again not because we felt we out ate the mouse but because we enjoyed everything being paid for and having the ability to just swipe a card and dinner is all set. We will probably not stay at the grand Floridian again. It was a lovely experience and the room was fantastic considering how much time we spent in it, but we did not feel the money was really worth it. We were on free dining so we saved some money that allowed us to go to the grand Floridian. My heart is at the wilderness lodge and driving by it made me wish we were there so we will hopefully be there the next time. We had a great time and wonderful memories to have between the 3 of us. Thanks for all who have been reading this. Writing this trip report and hitting the DIS a little has helped the vacation withdrawal and the reality shock. I hope we can get planning another trip soon because I had way too much fun being a Disney info geek! I will be hitting the codes boards because if i take them on vacation again i am going to need some serious deals!
Happy trips to all and here is to a happy fall!!

 

[soxnation]

I forgot to mention the situation with getting the room for the afternoon. When we made the arrangement they told us that they would not charge us for the afternoon and that they would notify housekeeping. Well they did not notify housekeeping and they called the room at least 5 times just hanging up each time and finally asking when we were leaving they wanted to clean. so if you get late check out or are in your room longer than normaly for what ever reason insist that they contact housekeeping or call them yourselves because we felt harassed for being in the room all afternoon. also a lovely surprise when we got home and they had charged my credit card the one nights stay for being in the room all afternoon which we were told they were not going to do. when we called to complain they said that yes it was noted that we should not have been charged for the nights stay, then why were we charged? they could not tell me. Good thing i kept track of our room charges and knew that that amount was not room charges but was the night's stay or i would have just paid it.

 

[tinkerbell87512]

Sounds like you had a wonderful trip! And you sure made some memorible moments for your mom and sister. Sorry she got so sick on your last night/day. hopefully you will be able to make it in Dec, i would love to go then! thanks for writing the report it made me feel like i was there again! let us know if u get to head back down in dec!

 

[soxnation]

Thank you for reading about our adventures we shall see what the future brings!